When thinking of corrosion protection in the auto industry, it is easy to focus on rust prevention for vehicles and auto parts themselves. But it can be just as important to protect the tooling and dies used to make the auto components. For example, corrosion on plastic injection molds for auto interiors or on gauging equipment for quality inspection can lead to costly repairs or losses if not prevented. Cortec^® Technology counteracts these problems with simple solutions that are easy for manufacturers to implement and can save them time and money in the long run.

Equipment Maintenance and Storage

EcoAir^® 325 Tool & Die Rust Preventative has proved to be a great development for molders. This ready-to-use vegetable oil/solvent-based liquid is packaged in EcoAir spray cans that rely on compressed air rather than traditional aerosol propellants. It is easy to atomize over a large surface area such as the interior of a plastic injection mold or die. Unlike other mold savers that have a reputation for clogging mold pores and must be cleaned off before use, this rust preventative does not have to be removed. This makes it extremely easy to bring a mold out of shipping or storage and put into use immediately.

One common challenge for molders is finding a place to store large high-dollar equipment between jobs. Too often, expensive molding equipment ends up outdoors, subject to corrosive conditions that require rust removal by the time the mold is brought back indoors for use. In these situations, EcoAir 325 Tool & Die Rust Preventative can be supplemented by adding a VpCI^®-309 Pouch inside the mold cavity and wrapping the entire piece of tooling in MilCorr^® VpCI^® Shrink Film. These materials release Vapor phase corrosion inhibitors that find their ways to the metal surfaces to form a protective molecular layer inside the enclosure. On the outside, MilCorr VpCI Shrink Film serves as a tough physical barrier to harsh weathering elements such as UV light, rain, and sometimes even hurricanes. Protection is effective, and the materials are easy to remove.

Interplant and Overseas Shipment

The same technologies can be used for interplant shipment. For example, global auto producers may need to send gauging equipment from headquarters to their domestic or overseas factories. Again, EcoAir 325 Tool & Die Rust Preventative may be used for general-purpose corrosion protection, and sometimes lubrication, on a variety of metal surfaces. For extra insurance, depending on the severity of the conditions and shipping duration, the equipment may be wrapped in VpCI-126 Film with Cor-Pak^® Tablets placed inside. These tablets work similarly to VpCI-309 Pouches, in that they release corrosion-inhibiting vapors inside the package to protect even recessed and intricate surfaces, but are designed for smaller volumes.

Protecting Gauging Equipment

A great example of this kind of in-company protection is the experience of a world-renowned car manufacturer who was having trouble with rust on its gauging equipment in both domestic and overseas factories. A popular rust inhibitor brand was not providing the needed protection, leading to remake lead time and maintenance costs, such as an $80,000 bill to send workers overseas to remove rust that had formed on the equipment. The company decided to test a customized grade of VpCI-325 as a possible replacement and found improved rust prevention and lubrication. They supplemented this with the use of VpCI-126 Bags and Cor-Pak Tablets for additional protection as needed and instructed that these three products be used for gauging equipment in their factories worldwide.

Automotive tooling and dies need corrosion protection as well as finished auto parts. Proper rust prevention is critical to maintain the quality of valuable assets and avoid costly maintenance tasks. Cortec solutions make this easy and effective for automotive manufacturers and workers, helping them save time and money through effective, easy protection. Visit https://www.cortecvci.com/contact-us/ for more information.